How I Find My Calm: A Ballerina

As a dancer with the Cleveland Ballet, Elena Cvetkovich puts a lot of stress on her body every day. “Especially during rehearsal,” she says. “You can’t just stop and stretch something out or take a break. My body gets really tight, and by the end of the day I can be out of alignment and can’t stand with good posture.” The dancer has found a daily ritual that works to return her body, and mind, to a calm place.

“There’s a release, and when I really settle in, I go into a deeper place both mentally and physically.”

“I put my headphones in and listen to my favorite playlist on Spotify, called Afternoon Acoustic. Then I go into a simple standing forward-bend stretch—just standing on two feet and letting everything fall forward. I stay there for ten minutes, maybe more. I just really sink into it. There’s a release, and when I really settle in, I go into a deeper place both mentally and physically. Because I’m inverted with my head down, I’m not open to the world—it’s literally time just for me. I sink into the stillness. Afterward I often feel sleepy— probably because I’m so relaxed.”